1
as in to strangle
to be or cause to be killed by lack of breathable air the law requires the owner of a discarded refrigerator to remove its door so that a child won't get trapped inside and suffocate

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2
as in to choke
to keep (someone) from breathing by exerting pressure on the windpipe temporarily suffocated by the seat belt

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3
as in to vomit
to experience complete or partial blockage of the windpipe suffocating in the thick, black smoke of the burning building

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of suffocate Though White occasionally fell short tying together all the threads — a few songs ambled deep into the weeds and nearly suffocated from their complexity — his masterful guitar techniques and kinetic vocals made the detours worthwhile. Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025 Houston was plenty impressive in its own right last weekend, squeaking by Purdue (4) before suffocating Tennessee (2) in an emphatic 69-50 Elite Eight win. Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025 The Bulldogs have built their success on a suffocating defense, allowing just 58.4 points per game. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025 According to prosecutors, Correa and others beat detainees with pipes, burned them with molten plastic and acid, shocked them with electricity and suffocated them with plastic bags. Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for suffocate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffocate
Verb
  • The condition involves the involuntary pulling of the muscles that open and close the vocal folds, causing the voice to sound strained and strangled, at times with a breathy quality.
    Indu Subramanian, The Conversation, 1 May 2025
  • The reason is that the charging order ties up the debtor's interest and deprives the debtor of the income stream thus helping to financially strangle the debtor.
    Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Are there really women out there who want Badgley to put on his Joe Goldberg cap and choke them?
    Judy Berman, Time, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Southern California has been choked by smog since the mass adoption of the automobile.
    Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Chaos ensues when Fred Armisen's auctioneer unveils the painting, prompting everyone else in the room to shout, vomit, and self-harm, including Samberg's then-castmates Bobby Moynihan, Bill Hader, and Kristen Wiig.
    Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 23 Apr. 2025
  • The caption explained that Reggie did get sick later that night and vomited next to the bed, which was conveniently on the side where his owner sleeps.
    Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • His playbook involves drowning rivals in legal fees.
    Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Twin brothers died in a drowning incident while fishing in a Mississippi lake last week, officials said.
    Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The song only encompasses a few lyrics, which were written by Black and director Jared Hess, where his character sings about his admiration for chicken smothered in hot lava.
    McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Jeff Bezos smothers the editorial mission of the Washington Post, and Amazon commissions a forty-million-dollar documentary about the First Lady.
    Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Suffocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffocate. Accessed 9 May. 2025.

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